Toronto marks 200th anniversary of Battle of York

Saturday marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of York — a seminal event for Canada in the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain.

On April 27, 1813, American forces landed on the shores of Lake Ontario in what is now Parkdale and pushed the outnumbered British defenders to Fort York. The two sides battled for six hours, at which point the British blew up a gunpowder storage unit and retreated to Kingston. About 321 American and 201 British soldiers died, were wounded or went missing.

U.S. forces occupied York for six days after the battle, while looting homes and torching parliament buildings, and then came back in July to destroy what was left of the fort. The British rebuilt it and used its guns to fend off U.S. ships from the Toronto bay in August 1814.

Gov. Gen. David Johnston, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Prince Philip — the colonel-in-chief of the Royal Canadian Regiment’s Third Battalion — are among the dignitaries who will be on hand for the bicentennial, which includes a massive military parade downtown.

Here’s what to expect on Saturday.

EVENTS

Sunrise Ceremony
6 a.m.-7:30 a.m., Palais Royale, 1601 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
The Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation will lead the descendants of those who fought in the Battle of York in a sunrise ceremony on the Palais Royale patio.

Walking in Their Footsteps
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Palais Royale, 1601 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Guides will lead the public on a five-kilometre walk to Fort York via the Martin Goodman Trail and Exhibition Place, stopping at points of historical significance. Pre-register at fortyork@toronto.ca or by calling 416-392-6907 ext. 223.

Colour Presentation
10 am., Queen’s Park
Prince Philip will present the the Royal Canadian Regiment’s Third Battalion with a new colour, a ceremonial flag to remind soldiers of their unit’s history.

Military Parade
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Queen’s Park to Fort York
More than 1,500 sailors and soldiers from the Canadian Forces will honour those who died in the Battle of York with a march from Queen’s Park past the War of 1812 monument at Victoria Memorial Square to the Fort York Armoury. It is one of the largest military parades ever organized in Toronto.

Click here for the parade route and see road closures below.

Service of Remembrance
1:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m., Fort York National Historic Site
A Canadian Armed Forces chaplain will lead the service, which will also include a Canadian Armed Forces honour guard, military band, First Nations chiefs and descendants of the Battle of York warriors.

Memorial Plaques Dedication
3 p.m.- 4 p.m., Fort York National Historic Site
Chiefs from the Mississaugas of four First Nations will unveil a new plaque to honour their descendents who died in the Battle of York. The National Society United States Daughters of 1812 and the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire will also re-dedicate commemorative plaques from 1934.

RELATED EVENTS

The Capitulation of York
5 p.m., 6 p.m., St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King St. E.
This 20-minute play depicts an imaginary town hall meeting with people discussing the Battle of York.

A Grand Concert for the Battle of York, 1813
7:30 p.m., St. James’ Cathedral, 65 Church St.
The Tallis Choir pays tribute to the battle with song.

Special Prayers
Sunday, St. James Cathedral, 65 Church St.
Priests will take a moment to remember the loss of life from the Battle of York and pray for continued peace.

Return of the Books
Sunday, 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Toronto Reference Library
As a gesture of good will, representatives from Sacket’s Harbor Battlefield Alliance will present new books to the Toronto Reference Library to replace those stolen from York’s library during the battle.

War Stories: Toronto and the War of 1812-14
Until June 22, TD Gallery, 789 Yonge St.
An exhibition of first-hand accounts from the Toronto Reference Library’s Special Collections.

For more events click here.

ROAD CLOSURES

Starting at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the following roads will be closed for the military parade:

• Queen’s Park Circle, between Bloor Street West and College Street
• University Avenue from College to Richmond Street
• Richmond from University to Portland Street
• Portland  from Richmond  to Front Street West
• Front from Portland to Bathurst Street
• Bathurst from Front to Fort York Boulevard
• Fort York from Bathurst to Fleet Street (buses allowed)

Source: City of Toronto